Monday, March 26, 2007
Price Control Act
sgCR has just discovered that there is a Price Control Act in Singapore...the next step is to see how it can be used to help consumers...
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Banking
Bank accounts are most likely the first "big-ticket" product or service that a consumer signs up. So it is good to know the liabilities and rights of a consumer in such a contractual relationship.
First place to start is the Financial Institutions Directory on the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) webpage. You should only consider a dealing with a bank if their name is on the list.
The other list that you should check out is MAS's Investor Alert List. This is sort of like a blacklist of dodgy financial institutions.
What's next? Let's use the basic savings deposit as an example. The Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS) has a nice PDF guide on this.
MAS also has a PDF guide on how to read your bank statement.
The Singapore Deposit Insurance Corporation, a new entity, is a new protection scheme for consumers.
In the event a Scheme member bank or finance company fails, all of your eligible accounts with that member are aggregated and insured up to S$20,000, net of your liabilities to the member.
Moneys held in bank deposits under the CPF Investment Scheme are separately insured up to S$20,000.
HSA Infosearch
HSA /BS/Onestop-prism@hsa
An informative database of the licensed drugs, cosmetic products, pharmacies, and tobacco retailers in Singapore. Consumers can use the database in many ways. For example, patients looking for generic drugs can search using the active ingredient of the drug as the search phrase.
An informative database of the licensed drugs, cosmetic products, pharmacies, and tobacco retailers in Singapore. Consumers can use the database in many ways. For example, patients looking for generic drugs can search using the active ingredient of the drug as the search phrase.
Friday, March 09, 2007
Police may be called in over fixed TV shows
MediaGuardian.co.uk
Could this be happening in Singapore also?
Could this be happening in Singapore also?
Monday, March 05, 2007
Tesco accused of cheating over half-price offer
Special reports | Guardian Unlimited
Could this "tactic" be used in Singapore too?
---------------------------------------------------
Dan Bell
Monday March 5, 2007
The Guardian
Tesco faces an investigation by trading standards officers after being accused of raising the price of fruit and vegetables shortly before offering them for sale at a reduced price as part of a promotional health drive.
The supermarket is offering a selection of at least five fresh fruit and vegetables at half-price as part of its Fruit & Veg Pledge. The offer is intended to coincide with a drive to urge consumers to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day in order to stay healthy. But the supermarket chain yesterday confirmed that it had raised the prices of apples, peaches, nectarines, and plums in the month before they were included in the promotion.
Martin Fisher, of the Trading Standards Institute, accused Tesco of exploiting pricing loopholes to mislead customers with the campaign, and called for a tightening of the rules.
A spokeswoman for Tesco said the price changes had been due to seasonal variations in overheads, such as transport costs around Christmas. "Any suggestion that we ramp up prices in order to cut them again is the purest nonsense," she said. Gala apples rose in price from £1.19 a kg in the week beginning December 11 to £1.99 in the week of December 18. They were then slashed to 99p in the first week of this year. Plums were £1.48 for 500g on December 11, but went up to £2.99 in the week of December 28, before being cut to £1.48 again in the first week of the pledge. Nectarines similarly rose from £1.49 to £2.99 before being cut to £1.48, while peaches rose from £1.99 to £2.99 before the price was halved.
Tesco defended the Fruit & Veg Pledge and accused its competitors of attempting to undermine its reputation, after the Mail on Sunday published the price rises. A spokeswoman said Tesco had a better record in promoting healthy eating than any other retailer. "If trading standards do want to take a look, that's fine. We're doing more than anyone else on health, and this promotion will help more customers than ever get their five a day."
She added that a range of products, from carrots, courgettes, and onions, to salads, vegetable stir-fries, and organic grapes, had gone on sale at half-price for two or more weeks after remaining at a constant price since December 18.
Could this "tactic" be used in Singapore too?
---------------------------------------------------
Dan Bell
Monday March 5, 2007
The Guardian
Tesco faces an investigation by trading standards officers after being accused of raising the price of fruit and vegetables shortly before offering them for sale at a reduced price as part of a promotional health drive.
The supermarket is offering a selection of at least five fresh fruit and vegetables at half-price as part of its Fruit & Veg Pledge. The offer is intended to coincide with a drive to urge consumers to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day in order to stay healthy. But the supermarket chain yesterday confirmed that it had raised the prices of apples, peaches, nectarines, and plums in the month before they were included in the promotion.
Martin Fisher, of the Trading Standards Institute, accused Tesco of exploiting pricing loopholes to mislead customers with the campaign, and called for a tightening of the rules.
A spokeswoman for Tesco said the price changes had been due to seasonal variations in overheads, such as transport costs around Christmas. "Any suggestion that we ramp up prices in order to cut them again is the purest nonsense," she said. Gala apples rose in price from £1.19 a kg in the week beginning December 11 to £1.99 in the week of December 18. They were then slashed to 99p in the first week of this year. Plums were £1.48 for 500g on December 11, but went up to £2.99 in the week of December 28, before being cut to £1.48 again in the first week of the pledge. Nectarines similarly rose from £1.49 to £2.99 before being cut to £1.48, while peaches rose from £1.99 to £2.99 before the price was halved.
Tesco defended the Fruit & Veg Pledge and accused its competitors of attempting to undermine its reputation, after the Mail on Sunday published the price rises. A spokeswoman said Tesco had a better record in promoting healthy eating than any other retailer. "If trading standards do want to take a look, that's fine. We're doing more than anyone else on health, and this promotion will help more customers than ever get their five a day."
She added that a range of products, from carrots, courgettes, and onions, to salads, vegetable stir-fries, and organic grapes, had gone on sale at half-price for two or more weeks after remaining at a constant price since December 18.
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